By Dave Workman | Senior Editor
Adopted less than one year ago, Maryland’s tough new gun laws – pandered as a way to prevent tragedies like Sandy Hook – are now proven failures in the wake of the shooting at the Columbia Mall.
Alleged gunman Darion Marcus Aguilar, 19, of College Park did not use a so-called “assault weapon” but a Mossberg 12-gauge pump shotgun, according to authorities and various published reports.
He cleared a background check when legally purchasing the shotgun in December at a shop in Montgomery County.
The incident occurred in a so-called “gun-free zone” in a state where it is nearly impossible for average citizens to get a concealed carry license.
Aguilar took his own life after gunning down Zumiez store employees Tyler Johnson and Brianna Benlolo, a single mother. Authorities were still trying to determine a motive for the incident because it does not appear that Aguilar knew either of the victims, and Johnson and Benlolo did not socialize outside of work, published reports said.
Police said Aguilar had some crude explosive devices in his backpack, and they were not certain how he got the Mossberg shotgun into the mall undetected. He apparently spent about an hour in the mall’s food court area before going upstairs to the skate board shop and opening fire.
A woman identified as his mother told a reporter that Aguilar had never been interested in guns, and there were no guns in the home they shared. The suspected gunman also had a job.
The incident serves as a stark reminder that tough gun laws have not prevented a single violent crime. There is no documented evidence of a shooting being prevented by a “gun-free zone” designation, and shooters in three high-profile incidents over the past several months, including the Washington, D.C. Navy Yard incident, the attack at Colorado’s Arapahoe High School and now the Columbia Mall had all bought guns legally, through licensed dealers, and had passed background checks.
In Colorado as well as Maryland, tough new gun laws instituted by lawmakers in response to the Sandy Hook tragedy did not live up to the promises of their supporters.
For whatever reason, the pump shotgun appears to have become the “weapon of choice” in recent high-profile shootings. Both the Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 are considered “workhorse” shotguns by sportsmen, law enforcement and the military. They are easily maintained, reliable and affordable.
So far, there has been no announcement from anti-gunners suggesting that an effort will be mounted to regulate pump shotguns.
